The Prince's Blunder
by Book Light
Summary: Chrom has never thought of Robin as a lady. But maybe it's better that way. - Chrom's thoughts as he reevaluates the conversation between his tactician and himself -


**The Prince's Blunder**

The Shepherd's captain Chrom had always thought one of his more upsetting flaws, aside from his (at times) terrible hearing, was his talent for getting lost in the military camps. Many times, he has blamed it on the indistinguishable features of one tent to the next. There were no signs as to even hint at what each tents' utility were. Which is why, like a fool fumbling in the dark, the blueblood found himself barging inside all the tents in an attempt to find the army's tactician.

Though his feet had been demanding rest for a time now, it was lost among more urgent concerns such as their dwindling numbers, the regulation of food supply and _some _soldiers – ones he'd rather not name - lack of hygiene. There was also the question of their next move, the reason he had come seeking her in the first place. And yet, despite all of that, he found himself more cornered by a more trivial fear – Robin's reaction upon talking to him again.

Their earlier conversation was awkward, to say the least. Simply remembering it causes him to rub the spot where the rock has hit and bruised. He had to admit, it was a good throw for a woman; which brings him to the cause of their argument.

"_I suppose I've never thought of you as a lady."_

He didn't mean any malice to it. It was simply a statement of fact. He never imagined Robin would take it to heart. Although, in retrospect, that's where the problem lied therein: He didn't think.

He knew that she was a woman; that much was true. However, amidst the chaos and bloodshed, it simply didn't matter. Or, more accurately, there was no time to fully digest what that meant. So when Robin mentioned beauty and such, he thought it quite odd with the imagery of war as their backdrop.

"_That is to say, a 'lady', per se… Er… You know, how you fight and strategize, and… Not to say a lady can't fight, but…"_

His attempt to elaborate and make amends had been clearly half-baked and an epic failure. If anything, it made it much worse. It seems all his diplomacy instructions had washed right over him in that moment.

"_It's just my image of a lady is someone so prim and proper..." _

Ylisse' male heir had grown up at court, watching noblewomen flaunt around their bodacious gowns in their overblown make-up. Smooth, soft and silky – those were the words he would associate with them. The very words he would be hard-pressed to acquaint with the mysterious strategist.

Certainly, Robin didn't lack manners when it came down to business. But with her aggressive thinking and straight-to-the-point attitude, she could hardly be called prim and proper. Although, he supposed that's what he liked about her. Unlike the other women, he didn't have to dance around broken glass. Nor did he have to guess about her true intentions. It was easy to be with her, as natural as breathing.

"… _perfumed…"_

She didn't smell like flowers. Truth be told, she could smell as foul as any of the other men after a grueling battle. However, he did like how she smelled after she took a bath – fresh, like mountain air. He didn't know when he noticed or why he even knew how she smelled, at that point. Only that he knew he preferred it to the scent of flowers.

"… _and pretty…" _

She wasn't 'pretty', he thought. Not like how Sumia or the others were, anyway. Where Sumia's features were gentle and soft, hers were stubborn and defined. Her person was raw and fierce, in a way that draws the eye, always. Whenever she concentrates, when she reads her texts books, when she's formulating a plan, when she's dealing the final blow – these are the times when her charisma is at its most powerful; these are the moments when she shines.

"_Nothing like you at all! When I look at you, I just don't see a 'lady'…"_

No, she wasn't a 'lady'. She was not delicate nor was she especially gentle. But she was strong and loyal. He had utmost confidence in her abilities. There was no doubt in his mind that she could defend herself while protecting those he loved as well, for the sake of the bonds she cherished most. Even if she was alone, she could more than handle herself. In spite of knowing that, the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he would rather she fight beside him; where his eyes could keep her.

Chrom concentrated at the task at hand. Familiar footsteps – about the size of Robin's own feet – led inside the tent. Again, he didn't know when he had come to know the length of her feet only that he did. It must have been all those battles fought alongside each other, he concluded. Just in case, he called for her.

"Robin!... HELLO? I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT OUR NEXT MOVE!"

"Chrom?! I-is that you?" came her uncharacteristically tentative answer. The rest of her muffled reply was lost to the night. The blue-haired prince, unaccustomed to receiving a 'no' had thoughtlessly assumed she had welcomed him in instead. To his surprise, the tent was under the curtain of steam. He dived in head-on, scanning the enclosed perimeter for the darkness of her coat. She shrieked but with his faulty hearing, Chrom had thought it was her way of making her location known through the blasted steam.

And there, she was, further back with only the familiar hue of her tresses to guide him towards her. He spoke as he closed the distance between them. "… I wanted to with you on tomorrow's march. You see…"

In a flash, the fog lifted and revealed Robin in _all _her glory. And again, it seems rationality left him for his words were out as soon as he thought of them. All at once, it was clear that he was wrong because she was –

Soft, smooth and silky.

_The End._

_A/N: Yay for oneshots! Woohoo. Based on their B support conversation, yes :3 I had planned to write this on Chrom's birthday but it seemed I got the date wrong. One day too late, to be exact. Hehehe. But better late than never, right? So yay! Belated Happy Birthday, Chrom! Here's your waifu naked. Again. =)) _

_Hope you like it! Please leave a review desu~_


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